


Bound Together

by Pagestealer



Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Canon Gay Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Immortal Husbands Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova, M/M, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:41:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25424812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pagestealer/pseuds/Pagestealer
Summary: Should Joe and Nicky get married?
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolo di Genova/Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolo di Genova
Comments: 10
Kudos: 116





	Bound Together

**Author's Note:**

> All characters belong to Greg Rucka and Gina Prince-Blythewood. Only borrowing with respect. Excuse the Google translated languages. And my very first fic, so…bear with me. Eeesh. Also, I’m not advocating that marriage is the end all-be all. It is not necessary for a partnership to be complete and whole. Just some fluff, ‘cause I’m fairly certain we all think it would be adorable to see these two walk down the aisle. (Can you imagine the first looks, with the way these two look at each other?!) Also, I really wish Booker could have been a part of this!

So,” Nile said cautiously, “why haven’t you two ever gotten married?” Andy chuckled quietly from the corner.  
Joe and Nicky looked at each other. Joe did that eye scrunchy thing he always did when he was trying to decide what to say. “Well,” he started, “when we met, marriage wasn’t even really a thing. Yes, people were bonded to each other, betrothed, given as dowries. But marriage as an institution did not exist. And obviously, there was a stigma about two men being together—not as much as you might think, but definitely there. Once marriage became a thing, it was of course never an option for us.” “Besides,” Nicky interjected, “we don’t need a license or a title to tell us what we are. We are beyond that. Bound together for all time. Two bodies, one heart.” They locked eyes, smiled.  
“Yeah, but now you CAN get married,” said Nile. “Of course it’s not necessary, but wouldn’t it be nice to be that one step…closer? I mean, people have waited so long for it to be possible. I don’t know…I guess I just feel like I’d jump at it…” She shrugged and smiled. The boys shared a look. Nicky held Joe’s gaze and said, “You are the planet I orbit. The magnet I am drawn to. You are the flame and I am the moth. Always and forever mine, amore mio.” Joe smiled, a soft smile. Then a sly wink. “Habibi.” Joe dropped to one knee with a sly grin and grabbed Nicky’s hand. Nicky laughed and swatted him away, with a “sciocco.” “Bestill my fangirl heart,” said Nile. “I’m just saying. I’d love to attend a June wedding.” She wiggled her eyebrows a bit. “Well,” said Joe, “we have all the time in the world.” They all glanced over at Andy quietly sitting in the corner. An awkward silence took hold. They were all more aware now that it really could be taken away at any time. Andy smiled a bit sadly and said, “Don’t look at me. But. I’m not getting any younger. Just saying.” She winked. 

It was a run of the mill op. Should have been cut and dried, in and out. But Joe and Nicky got pinned down, separated from the others. Crouched behind a low partition wall, they were preparing to make a break for it when a grenade clattered into the room and rolled their way. Before they could do anything more than lock eyes, the room exploded around them.  
Nicky awoke first, Joe’s body on top of his. He looked up and saw one of the three remaining men standing over them, gun aimed. Before Nicky could react, the man put a bullet through the back of Joe’s head. Nicky shouted as the man took aim again, this time between Nicky’s eyes. Nicky raised the gun still in his hand and shot the man several times. He then gently rolled Joe’s body off himself and leapt up, picking off the three men flanking them who were coming in confident that they had the upper hand. As soon as they were dead and Nicky was certain they were safe, he knelt down to Joe’s still form. Besides the bullet to the head, he had clearly taken the brunt of the explosion, blood seeping out from large shrapnel wounds in his back and side, as well as from a foot that seemed barely attached. Nicky took Joe’s face in his hands and shook gently, willing him to wake up. Nothing. These were extreme wounds, they would take a moment. He knew this logically. But still. He gently shook Joe’s face between his hands. Pressed their foreheads together. Murmured in Italian. “Destati, per favore.” He waited, holding his breath. This couldn’t be it. First Andy, now Joe? It wasn’t possible. No, they are just bad wounds. These take time. He waited.  
Moments that seemed like eons later, Joe gasped awake, the exit wound in his temple still stitching itself back together. Nicky exhaled a frantic sigh, unclenching his tightly wound muscles as Joe came back to him. It always seemed like it took too long. Like time stopped as panic set in, every time. Joe looked up and met Nicky’s eyes, and without a thought Nicky breathed out, “Marry me.” Joe’s eyes were still glazed over, his brain still healing and his gaze searching for purchase. After a moment, he focused in and locked eyes with Nicky. “Cos’hai detto?” “Marry me” Nicky repeated. “Sposami.” Joe smiled gently. “Certe amore mio.”  
At that moment, Andy and Nile ran into the room. “You good?” Nile said. “Si, yes,” said Joe softly. “We’re good.” “Then let’s move,” shouted Andy. Nicky stood up and reached for Joe’s hand, slowly pulling him to his feet. They glanced down at the large pool of Joe’s blood left behind and each contemplated for a second how death is always so close to them, and how lucky they are to still be clinging to each other. With Andy and Nile taking point, they each grabbed a gun in one hand and each other’s hands in the other and ran. 

A week later they stood together in a field of wildflowers, hand in hand while Andy (ordained online!) spoke softly of love and destiny and all sorts of gushy things she pretended not to believe in. They stared into each other’s eyes and saw endless eons, past, present and future. Joe took the rings off his hands, moving one to his left hand and placing the other on Nicky’s finger. Moments later Andy pronounced them married in the eyes of God and the law. With the late afternoon sun shining down they shared a soft kiss in front of their small found family. “Mio marito,” murmured Nicky against Joe’s lips. “Zuji,” replied Joe, eyes closed. It was nice to have even more names for each other, for their love. This changed nothing but at the same time it meant so much. Nile grinned mischievously, pleased with the thought that she got to witness their love and also that she was totally taking responsibility for this. Andy wiped happy tears away, even while pretending she was not crying, not at all. Through tears and laughter they all shared a long group hug, savoring the moment, so happy right now while still knowing that nothing lasts forever. That made this even more special. Joe and Nicky were joined together, even more so than before, for as long as they were granted by God. And right now that was enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Italian and Arabic Translations:  
> sciocco “you fool”  
> Habibi “my love”  
> Amore mio “my love”  
> Destati, per favore “wake up, please”  
> Cos’hai detto? “What did you say?”  
> Sposami “marry me”  
> Certe amore mio. “Of course, my love”  
> Mio marito “my husband”  
> Zuji “my husband”


End file.
